Shower bath cabinet



Sept. 8,1942. P. w. KERR 1 2,294,914

SHOWER BATH CABINET Filed July 15. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 8, 1942.

P. W. KERR snowma BATH CABINET Filed Julyv 15, 1940 2 Shets-Sheet 2 friz/enlr; JPCZZLZI Zd K977" J and Patented Sept. .8, 1942 snowrn BATH CABINET.

Paul W. Kerr, Elkhart, Ind., asslgnor to Henry Weis Manufacturing Company, Inc., Elkhart,

Ind.

Application July 15, 1940, serial No. 345514 3 Claims. (cum-403) This invention relates to shower bath cabinets, and among other'objects aims to provide a knockdown sheet metal shower cabinet which can be produced at lower cost than heretofore and will have a quality and decorative appearance in harmony with standard bathroom design.

The'nature of the invention maybe readily understood by reference to one construction embodying the invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of ashower cabinet;

Fig. 2-is a vertical section of a' detail taken on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section above the entrance to the cabinet and taken on the plane 33 of -Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan section on an enlarged scale taken through a corner of the cabinet on the plane 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section construction taken on the plane 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the door sill taken on the plane 'll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the base of the cabinet taken on the plane 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is aplan view of the receptor bottom;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a form of door frame construction which may be employed if the front of the cabinet be faced by conventional wall surfacing such as plaster or tile. The section corresponds to the plane l.l0 of Fig.1.

Knock-down sheet metal shower cabinets possess many advantages over the conventional a; through the corner built-in shower cabinets characterized by marble or other slab side walls and terrazzo or similar receptors. To be acceptable as equipment for the better classes of bathrooms, such sheet metal cabinets must harmonize with standard bathroom design. The illustrative shower cabinet possesses all the advantages inherent in knockdown sheet metal shower cabinets, yet its design is such as to render it capable for'use. as .equipment in installations of the highest class;

As here shown, the shower bath cabinet comprises the' receptor cabinet, and sheet metal side wall sections ll forming the cabinet enclosure except for the doorway l2. 'The latter may be closed .either by a curtain or door, as desired. The receptor adlil forming the fioor of the a Both the side walls and the is preferably sufficient to accommodate both the dish of the receptor bottom It and the drain outlet fixture l5, which is connected to the receptor 'bottom at its lowest point. The base I3 is here shown of channel section and the receptor is centered thereon by downwardlyprojecting brackets l6 welded or brazed as at H to the bottom of the receptor. An outwardly bent resilient tongue 18 struck from the bracket is adapted to spring under the upper edge IQ .of the base when the receptor is seated to lock the latter to the base. receptor are designed to befinished in porcelain or other enamel, preferably to harmonize in color with the other bathroom fixtures. Porcelain enamel is preferably used for the better grade of cabinets, since this is'a standard finish for other bathroom fixtures. However, porcelain enamel on sheet metal has, heretofore, been impracticable because of chipping or cracking of the relatively brittle i enamel on flexible sheetmetal, because'of the warping of the sheet metal side walls under e'namelling heat, and because of the slipperiness of a. porcelain enamelled receptor. The present construction makes theme of porcelain enamel practicable in shower cabinets.

Both the rece tor and side walls are formed of sheet enamelling iron or steel, 16 to 1% gauge metal being satisfactory for a receptor and a somewhat lighter gauge, v20 to 16 gauge, being satisfactory for the side walls. The side walls are here shown formed in three sections, namely, two side sections 20 and a back section 2|. The side sections are here shown including the front wall portions 22, which are formed to provide I times desirable to make separate front, side and rear sections-in which event each vertical corner will be provided with a common joint. I I

The lower margins of the side walls are bent inwardly as at 24 and terminate with a downwardly projecting flange 25, which is seated in a frame 26 embracing the upper edge 21 of the receptor side walls 28 (see Fig. 6). Frame 26 is advantageously of sheet metal formed to provide a channel 29 for the sidewall flange 25, and another channel 30 for fitting over the, receptor side walls. The margin 21 of the receptor side walls is preferably ofiset inwardly so that the outer face 3| of the frame is flush with the outer face of the receptor side wall 28. The frame is here shown provided with an inwardly bent terminal flange 32 which restsupon the offset 33 vantageously rests upon a base l3, whose height of the receptor. It will be observed (Fig. 6) that the lower portion of channel 29 is offset outwardly to snap under offset 33, thereby assisting in anchoring the frame to the receptor. The channel 29 in the frame is advantageously filled with a plastic cement 34 or plastic caulking compound which flows around the flange when it is inserted in the channel and serves to seal the channel against the entrance of moisture.

A door sill 35 covers that portion of the frame 26 which extends across the doorway. The sill is provided with a downwardly projecting flange 36 which is seated, in the channel 29. Down-- wardly projecting end flanges 31 carried by the sill are connected by bolts or rivets 38 to the stile faces 23. The inner edge of the sill is finished by a downwardly extending flange 39.

As here shown, the joints between adjacent side wall sections are located at the corners of the cabinet. The adjacent margins 40 of the side wall sections (see Fig. 4) are inwardly ofiset at 4|, and the space 42 between them is spanned by a corner strip 43, which extends across the margins 49 and is provided with. outwardly bent side margin 44 extending behind the offsets 4| to prevent the separation or displacement of the side wall margins. Gaskets 45 of semi-plastic material serve to seal the joint between the side wall margins and the corner strip 43. The gaskets are clamped between the side wall margins and the corner strip 43 by an outer corner member 45, whoseflanges 4'! lie behind and engage the side wall flanges, and which is drawn toward the corner strip by clamping means. The clamping means are here shown in the form of hook-shaped cam lugs 48 carriedby the corner strip 43 and a slotted locking strip 49 associated with the outer corner member. In the present case, the corner member 46, which is made of relatively thin sheet metal, carries a slotted corner bar 50 whose side margins 5| extend under the folded over flanges 41 ofthe corner member. The

slots 52 in the bar 50 are of suflicient length toadmit the lugs 48, and when the latter have been passed through the slots, they are engaged by the slotted "locking strip 49 which acts against the inclined or beveled faces 53 of the lugs 48 to create the aforesaid clamping action between the corner strip 43 and the outer corner member 46. To apply the corner strip 43, the locking strip 49 is moved so that its slots 54 register with the slots 52in the corner bar.- After the lugs 48 have been passed through the registered slots; the locking strip 49 may be driven down from the top of the cabinet to create the aforesaid clamping action.

The comer bar 5|l-terminates short of the bottom of 'the corner member 46 to accommodate a bottom fitting 55 (see Fig. 5) which is inserted under the folded over flanges 41 and is connected to the corner member 48 in any appropriate way such'as welding or by prick-punching the flanges 41 intothe metal of the fitting.

The latter is inwardly offset as at 56 and provided with a downwardly extending angular flange 5L alignment-with the flanges 25) which is seated in the channel 29 across the comer of the receptor. The inwardly ofls'et portions 56 of the member 55 are overlapped bythe ing the cabinet side walls to the receptor.

The upper edge of the cabinet is advantageously finished by a frame 6| formed with a channel 62 fitting over the upper edge of the side walls and an inwardly extending molding 63 of rectangular section. If desired, a sheet metal top 64 may be placed upon the molding 63 and connected to its flanges 65 by screws 65. The upper edges of the side walls are preferably notched as at 51 at a plurality of points (see Figs. 2 and 3), so that if desired, wood screws 58 or the like may be driven through the frame 6| into the buildingwalls, without requiring the drilling of the metal of the side walls. Such notched portions 61 are concealed by the channel 82 of the frame. Preferably, the metal of the frame is indented or otherwise marked at points 59 in registry with the notches, so that the metal may be drilled at the proper points if it be desired to employ anchoring screws 68-. The screws would be hidden from below by the molding 63 even if no top 64 were used.

The top 64 is advantageously provided with a marginal flange I8 spaced a distance from the front and side walls of the equivalent to the thickness of the conventional wall plaster or other wall surfacing. If it be desired to extend curtain walls from the upper edges of the cabinet to the ceiling of' the room, this can be easily done by connecting metal lath II or the like to the flanges 19 of. the top (which are preferably perforated as at 12 for this purpose). The lath may, thereupon, be coated with plaster l3 flush with the face of the cabinet.

The lintel '|4 which extends across the door opening is provided with flanges 15 bolted or otherwise connected to the faces of the stiles. The front face 16 of the lintel extends into the channel of the top frame and its rear face I! is provided with a top flange 18 extending over the flange 55 of the molding.

In Fig. 101s illustrated a door frame construction designed to be substituted for that shown in Figs. 3 and 7, in the event the front of the .of extensions 82, 83 and 84 which project outwardly from the front face .of the cabinet 9. distance sufllcient to accommodate the wall surfacing 8| and to serve as a so-called stop therefor. In addition, the lintel, sill and stile extenamount equal to the thickness of the offset portion 56 and flange 51:. The overlapping of the bottomfltting 55 by the side margins of the sions 84 are provided with welded or integral flanges 85 and 85 or their equivalent by which metal lath 81 or the like may be anchored to the door frame. In the present instance, the wall surfacing comprises tile 88 laid upon a cement surface 89 carried by the metal lath.

-The aforesaid construction permits the cabinet to settle slightly independently of the wall surfacing 8|, thereby protecting the latter against stresses which might crack it. It will be noted that the sill end-flange, through which the attaching bolt or rivet 38 passes, is slotted as at 90 to allow the cabinet to settle slightly without disturbing the sill or thewall surfacing 8| connected thereto. Likewise, the cablfitwall may drop slightly in or relative to the channel and a'half at a I I 9| of the lintel to allow. the cabinet to settle independently of the lintel. i

It will be understood that the surfaces of those cabinet walls whichare covered by a plaster or other wall surface need not have the enamel finish which is provided for all exposed cabinet surfaces.

The sheet metal sidewalls ished by an enamel color.

coating of an appropriate For better-grades of cabinets, the coating is preferably vitreous porcelain enamel whichmay be applied to advantage by the so-called wet process. In this .process, a ground or grip coat is sprayed or otherwise applied to the sheet metal surfaces and either dried at room temperatures or in a drying oven for about an hour temperature of about 150 F. The ground coat is then burned or fired in an enamelling oven for about six minutesat about 1550F. '1

All margins, inside and out, of the side walls are preferably coated with so-called fiexible are preferably fin ish enamel may be sprayed on the receptor in the usual way. With either method of finishing,

the coat is dried and subsequently fired at about 1500 F. for about six minutes. Instead of the stipple coat the receptor bottom may be finished 'with'a'. continuous coat of any desired color.

The receptor bottom is advantageously. provided with a sanitary slip-proof surface by inlcorporating in the enamel surface, a refractory granular material, such as'fine silicasand, which does not fuse at the temperatures at which the vitreous enamel fusesand, therefore, remains projecting above-the, enamel surface after firing.

Although the grains of sand retain their identity and do not melt down as does the enamel material, there is. suflicient" superficial or incipient fusion between the enamel and the grains ofsand to bond them integrally with the enamel enamel which, at the present time, is available only in dark colors. Black is preferably'employed since it can be so used as to have a decorative effect. The marginal black stripes are preferably wider than the margin covered by the corner structure to leave a narrower stripe of about 1/8 of an inch visible, The visible portion of the black stripe thus has a decorative effect. After drying, the enamelled margins are burned at about 1550 F.

Thereafter, the color or finish coats (in this case two coats) are applied by spraying or otherwise applying enamel material which will burn coat, thereby resulting in an enamel coat which is an integralcontinuous enamel surface despite X the fact that the grains of sand'project above the surface. To simplify description, I shall use the expression sand or grains of sand in a generic sense to/include not .only silica but other refractory materials which integrally bond with the vitreous enamel toprovide a slip-proof sur-,

face. There are no microscopic cracks or poten-j tial cracks between the grains of sand and the enamel (such as might exist if the grains of sand were simply mechanically'anchored in the coat)' into which water might enter and (through de V velopment of the cracks) eventually reach the metal to produce rust stains.

Thesuperficial fusion which integrally bonds the sand grains with the enamel may possibly be brought about by a eutectic condition since it occurs 'at temperatures far below the fusion temperature of the grains of sand. Another explanation, which probably is not'essentially different. isthat the fluxing substances in the fused enamel alsosuperficiallyflux and fuse the grains of sand. Whatever'the explanation,- the fact is that firing does not substantially fuse the sand visible -on the sand grains above the level of the warped surfaces at the corner joints withoutdanger of breaking or cracking the enamel finish.

The receptor bottom may advantageously be.

finished to provide a decorative and contrasting effect. The receptor is first coated with a ground or so-called grip coat (applied by dipping or spraying) which is dried and then fired in the enamelling oven at about 1600 'F. As as well known in the art the 'grip coat is made of mafniuch of the enamel material which may originally'have covered the grains has receded, on fusion.

terials which on fusion in the enamelling oven bond well with the metal. One pleasing effect can be obtained by applying a background coat 93' (over the grip coat) of black or dark enamel which is preferably dried and then fitted in the enamelling oven at about 1600 F. Upon thisbackground coat a contrasting speckle coat of lighter color is applied so as to fall in large separated drops on the background coat. These spread to irregular and varying areas 94 about.

of an inch .in diameterand smaller, which in contrast with the dark background coat 93 give an attractive finish. The speckle coat may advantageously be a shade of green. The coarse stippling' or speckled effect may be produced by lowering the air pressure on the spraygun so that the enamelis deposited in large spaced drops with only a limited number of fine drops.. If a uniform'or plain color coat be desired, the fingrains; they project above the vitreous surface to render it slip-proof.

0n microscopic examination, little enamel is vitreous enamel, and generally the projecting grains of sand are free of enamel. If anyenamel does cover the grains of sand it is in such a thinv film as not to be visible or substantially to affect the sharpness of the projecting grains. Probably One important characteristic of the surface revealed by a microscopic examination is that the surface is free of cavities or recesses which might v harbor germs and fungi. The grains of sand are generally polyhedral in shape and do not project far enough to form any recesses or cavities. is not essential for an adequately slip-proof surface that the grains of sand be close together.

Indeed they can be well separated so that there- 'is'no opportunity for adjacent grains to form cavities or recesses above the surface. The surface is, therefore, of such character that it may be kept clean and sanitary by simple scrubbing with a brush.

Difilculty has been experienced in securing uni-,

form distribution of the sand grainsnot only over a given receptor but in giving the surfaces of successive receptors'the same slip-proof texture. It is, of course, essential 'for commercial production that there be uniformityof product. While the sand grains could be applied sirnply by sprinkling the same over the enamel material before firing, I have found that as a practical matter it is impossible by sprinkling methods to secure uniformity. The grains of sand are not visible on the enamel material and 'neither uniformity nor degree of concentration can practically be determined by other than visual methods.

This problem has been satisfactory solved by incorporating the sand in the enamel material and applying the same by spraying. This enamel contrasts with the previously applied enamel coat and by means of the contrast the operator can not only obtain a uniform distribution of sand grains but a proper concentration thereof. Though the sand grains are invisible, their concentration and distribution concentration and distribution of the enamel material and the latter by reason of its contrast with the background can be controlled visually. This contrast exists even though the enamel material be the same (as regards color) s that of the background, since the wet unfireh material differs in appearance from the fired enamel. This method can be employed either for a stipple finish or a continuous solid color coat, since in both cases the contrast betweenthe previous coat and the fresh enamel material as it is applied permits uniformity of application and proper concentration of the sand grains. The difference in method for stipple and solid color finish is mainly one of degree. For the solid color the operator simply continues application of enamel material by spraying until the under coat is entirely and uniformly concealed. The under coat may advantageously be dark, therebyincreasing the contrast with freshly applied material. For a stipple finish it is desirable to reduce the air pressure on the spray gun to develop a certain proportion of large drops along with fine ones.

The grains of sand may be incorporated in the enamel material by adding the sand to the previously prepared enamel material and if necessary maintaining the same in suspension during spraying by agitation of the mixture. With this method, grain size of minus forty to plus sixty mesh is satisfactory. The sand may also be incorporated by grinding silica or other refractory with the frit in preparation of the enamel material. In preparing enamel material it is generally the practice to grind the frit in the enamelling plant together with the desired coloring material as and when it is required. Enamel frit is an article of commerce and is formed by fusing together the various enamel ingredients (generally without color) and then pouring the same into water to form coarse granular material in 'which condition it is obtained by the enamelsling plant. The desired coloring materials are then added, and for the so-called wet process these materials are ground in water to the decorresponds with the that illustrated, the effect being more like fine sand paper except that the particles of sand are not as sharp as in sandpaper and not nearly so concentrated.

If desired, the enamel containing the slip-proof material may be applied in a design pattern, either stippled or in solid color. This is advantageously accomplished by placing a stencil with sired fineness. When adjusted to the proper fluid consistency, this mixture may be applied by spraying. Th slip-proof enamel material is made in the same way simply by adding to the frit the desiredamount of slip-proof material, such as silica sand. The thoroughly mixes th various ingredients and doubtless reduces the sand grains in size. While the sand grains in the ground material seem to the eye to be about as small as the ground frit, I suspect that because of their greater hardness they are not ground quite so fine. In any event in the fired'produet the enamel fuses down and grinding process very the design over the receptor bottom and spraying the slip-proof finish over the stencil. One such design is illustrated in co-pending Hoople design application, Serial No. D-92,931 filed June 5, 1940, patented December 17, 1940, Des. 124,031. The enamel material thus serves the dual function of providing a slip-proof surface and a pleasing design on the receptor bottom. Preferably the design is of such character as not to leave large areas in which occurs no slip-proof material. The lines of the design as well as the blank areas covered by the stencil should preferably be dithe drain l5 to assist in flushing away soap and other sediment and to eliminate By making the stencil of magnetic material, such as sheet iron or steel, it may be held down tightly against the receptor bottom by a magnet located below the receptor. When This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 103,965 filed October 5, 1936.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative constructions since these may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used to advantage in different combinations and subcombination's.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of making a slip-proof sheet metal receptor for shower bath cabinets which comprises applying Porcelain enamelling material to the bottom of the sheet metal receptor, then spraying on the background enamelling material contrasting in color with the background, the latter enamelling material containing grains of said which are substantially invisible in said latter enamelhng material to be applied in relatively large drops, limiting and controlling the distribution of sand and said latter enamel material by reference to the contrasting appearance of the latter enamel on the background, then firing the enamelling material at high temperature above the enamelled surface. 2. The method of making a slip-proof sheet metal receptor for shower'bath cabinets which comprises applying porcelain enamelling material to the bottom of the sheet metal receptor, then applying in relatively large drops enamelling material contrasting in color with the back ground to which it is applied, the latter enamelling material containing grains of sand which are substantially invisible in said enamelling mate rial, limiting and controlling the distribution and conce tration of the sand and said latter enamel mater al byreference to the contrasting appearance of the latter enamel on the background, limiting the amount of enamel so that in the subse quently fired enamel the grains of sand will project from the enamel surface, and then firing the enamelling material at high temperatures to fuse the same to the underlying surface and to the projecting grains of sand to provide an impervious coat on the metal.

3. The method' f forming a slip-proof finished surface on a metal receptor fora shower bath cabinet or the like which comprises suspending particles of sand throughout a quantity of finely ground enamelling frit toprovide a substantially" uniform mixture, saidvparticles being of higher melting point than the frit and individually substantially invisible in said mixture and said mix ture having a color contrasting with that of the receptor surface, maintaining the sand particles in uniform suspension throughout the frit by dispersion in a liquid medium, spraying said-mixture in the form of a thin coating of uniform' thickness onto the receptor surface and controlling the thickness and uniformity of said coating by ref-, erence to said color contrast, limiting the thickness of the coating so that when fired portions of the particles of sand will project above the finished surface, and then firing the coating at such a temperature as to fuse the frit .to the particles of sand and to the surface to which the coating is plied without substantially fusing th par- 20 ticles of said.

PAUL W. KERR. 

